Coconut Cappuccino Muffins

Coconut Cappuccino Muffins

A couple of weeks ago Biscuit the pug woke me up at 4 a.m. so he could go outside and leisurely walk around the yard for an hour. I thought he had business to do but it turns out that he just wanted to PLAY(!). By the time he came back in there was no sense in going back to bed. It was almost time to start typing. I was tired and grumpy and decided muffins would ease the pain.

I picked out a recipe online and preceded to makethe worst muffins in the history of ever, which resulted in a full blown pity-party for myself. Where is my go-to muffin recipe for these types of emergencies?! I quickly cobbled together something with streusel. And cream cheese.

The middle- cream cheese batter that bakes up slightly sweet and oh-so-fluffy.

The top- coconut streusel that transforms into sweet, crunchy deliciousness as it bakes.

For those who aren't crazy about coconut, please don't let the streusel give you pause. My husband is not a coconut fan and he could not stop eating these! They were so well loved I made three batches in two days. My definite new go-to muffin!

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl, combine milk and coffee granules until coffee is dissolved. Add the butter and egg . Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in chocolate chips.

In a medium bowl beat cream cheese, ¼ cup sugar and egg on high speed with an electric mixer until fluffy and smooth. Add vanilla and mix. Transfer mixture to a piping bag fitted with a plain tip or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped.

Insert piping bag or corner into the cappuccino batter and pipe until the batter rises and fills the muffin cups two-thirds full. Alternatively, you may also spoon cream cheese mixture over cappuccino batter and swirl with a knife or skewer.

Generously top with coconut streusel.

Bake at 375° for 13-15 minutes or until coconut is well toasted. Cover muffins with a piece of aluminum foil to prevent the coconut from over-browning and bake for an additional 5-7 minutes. Muffins are done when a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Do you have a nut allergy? If not, chopped walnuts or almonds would work. If you do have a nut allergy, just omit the coconut and add a pinch of cinnamon to the flour/butter/brown sugar mixture. It will still be good. :)

Wonderful...can't wait to try! We pick up Cappuccino Muffins at a local Bakery and we LOVE them. This looks like it will be the perfect make at home solution. I was going to do some experimenting and try to figure them out....Looks like you've done it this time for me! I agree you take wonderfully creative pictures!!

I hate when a recipe flops so bad you just want to cry. I've definitely had my share of those kinds. It's not a good feeling. But these muffins look really nice, even though I don't like coffee and I only sometimes like coconut.

These are perfection! I just love looking at your photography and wish like crazy that I had a bit of instant coffee right now to make these, since I have all the rest of the ingredients. They are going on my list for sure. And your early morning escapade with Biscuit did put a smile on my face, even though I'm sure it was not fun for you at the time. xoxo ~Lili

For just quickly throwing something together, these look like a knockout! I love the filling and the combination of coconut and cappuccino. And they're beautiful to boot! I'm featuring this post in today's Food Fetish Friday (with a link-back and attribution as always). Thanks for continuing to inspire me with your creations...